News
-
Critics to Panelo: Which country do you work for?
MANILA, Philippines — Former foreign affairs secretary Albert del Rosario yesterday slammed presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo and challenged him to reveal the country he is “working for” in insisting the case they filed against Chinese President Xi Jinping before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity should be dismissed. “Former ombudsman Conchita Morales and I are endeavoring…
-
‘Palace should appreciate moves vs China’
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang should appreciate, rather than denounce, their efforts to bring China to task for occupying the Philippines’ sovereign waters in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea), said former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario. “Former Ombudswoman Conchita Morales and I are endeavoring to work for our countrymen. Why then are we being criticized by presidential spokesperson Panelo?”…
-
Former Chinese officials warn tensions with US raise risk of ‘accidental conflict’
The risk of an “accidental conflict” between the US and China has risen as a result of the heightened tensions between the two sides, a number of current and former officials have warned. While they said it was difficult to imagine a full-scale conflict breaking out, they warned that the current strategic, technological and ideological stand-offs between the two…
-
China’s unveils new wonder weapon in dramatic challenge to western power
THE MYSTERY hardware that appeared unidentified at the the National Day parade in October has been identified by experts as a state of the art weapons system. The weapon is the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) most powerful multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) ever, capable of firing eight 370mm rockets 350km or two 750mm ballistic missiles 500km. A leading American…
-
China confirms satellite launch after military rocket’s ‘dragon’s tail’ stirs online speculation
China launched seven civilian satellites on Saturday using mobile launch vehicles normally used to fire military rockets, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The first launch in the morning sent one remote sensing satellite into orbit, while six satellites – to be used for purposes such as communications and navigation – were sent into orbit in the evening. The second launch…
-
Philippines is ‘the lead in the South China Sea disputes,’ Locsin claims
MANILA, Philippines — Within days of the International Criminal Court prosecutor saying it has no jurisdiction over the allegations against Chinese President Xi Jinping for “crimes against humanity” in the West Philippine Sea, Foreign Affairs secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. tweeted that the Philippines often stood up to China. “[W]e stand up to China in the things that matter without…
-
Pinoys value ties with US over China – SWS
Majority of Filipinos believe that the Philippines’ relationship with its long-time ally, the United States, is more important than that with China, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Saturday. The poll conducted from September 27 to 30 among 1,800 Filipino adults nationwide showed that 78 percent of the respondents valued the Philippines’ ties with…
-
Palace welcomes ICC withdrawal of communication vs. Xi Jinping
MANILA — Malacañang on Saturday welcomed the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) ruling, which says that it lacked jurisdiction over the two former Philippine officials’ communication filed against Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Chinese officials for alleged crimes against humanity by pursuing Beijing’s sweeping claims to the South China Sea. In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the…
-
US is losing the battle for Pacific power
If anything demonstrates the interconnectedness of the 21st-century world, it is how a decision made in the Solomon Islands, population 650,000, in the remote South Pacific, can affect the behaviour of powerful countries on the other side of the globe. That, in a way, is exactly what happened last week when Nato leaders met in London. Top of their agenda…
-
China warning: USA military expansion in Asia ‘fraught with tension’, says expert
THE United States needs to adjust its strategy in the Far East in order to contain China’s expansionist plans, with its current approach, in which it takes primary responsibility for the defence of allies, not only increasingly costly but also “risky” in terms of triggering a disastrous conflict with the massive superpower. Tensions in the region have increased in…
-
British navy vessel passes through Taiwan Strait
A British navy survey vessel sailed through the Taiwan Strait, it was announced on Saturday, as the United Kingdom steps up its presence in the Indo-Pacific region. Taiwan’s defence ministry said in a brief statement that HMS Enterprise had travelled northwards through the Taiwan Strait and the military had kept a close watch on the situation. The ministry added…
-
DND chief: Bad weather delays Pag-asa buildup
MANILA, Philippines — Delays have yet again hampered the construction of the beaching ramp on the Philippines’ biggest island outpost in the West Philippine Sea, which Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said will not be completed before year-end. In a Viber message to reporters on Friday, Lorenzana said bad weather on Pag-asa Island caused the breakdown of construction equipment. “Because of…